


A Place in their Heart

by GoldenCharm888



Category: IT (2017), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-23
Updated: 2018-01-29
Packaged: 2019-02-18 19:07:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13106616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoldenCharm888/pseuds/GoldenCharm888
Summary: Ebony Sholne, the new kid of Derry, has been residing since last December. They live with their father in a small house that is at the center of the city. Ebony, after being friends with the Losers, has learned about a monster that grabs children by the sewers. Strangely, instead of being afraid and staying at home, even after their best friend's dissapearence, they believe they can become friends with Pennywise... and they will not give up on the idea easily.





	1. The Calm before the Storm

At first calmly and then in a rush, in a little earlier than the dawn of night, the clouds had done nothing less than weep onto the cemented floors of the city that everyone has called Derry. Even if the raging winds sounded quite awful and the rain was more than abundant—Almost too generous in quantity, in fact--, all seemed so peaceful still, but one couldn’t help but shiver upon seeing the lifeless roads and houses during the seemingly restless storm. Everything felt dead, completely dead, like if abandoned villagers walked out of their homes since a long while.

Despite it all, it somehow still felt comforting to hear the clouds’ tears drop all at once, even if they sounded like maniacs racing to see who’s first to crash on the ground. The following storm was very unusual, even to those who are used to seeing them in Derry. It was like a cocktail of emotions extended in the shape of weather, down to the way the trees brushed violently against each other, or the way the extending puddles of water would solemnly travel in soil, drains, and in some cases, houses. Even rocks and stones seemed to express fury, and the way they would roll around from the excited wind was clear evidence of so. 

The following gentle misty smell was rather faint, its characteristic moon dew accent gently caressing the vegetation and man-made roads… It felt refreshing, almost energizing, to feel its presence, but the amount of wind and rain was overshadowing all the other aspects that we called beauty of nature, and the rain’s scent was one of them.

Just as it seems like there’s nothing new happening in the sky, every now and then, lights would flare from the clouds. A rocket of energy would aggressively grow in the blankets of mist, before suddenly deciding to lash out all the way to the ground. Its raw power seemed important enough to cut trees in half, and destroy so many lives all in one stroke, but it was so beautiful to see Mother Nature unleash her powers in such a captivating way. In fact, it was likeable enough to gain a little audience…

Children that would dare to stay up late would count the amount if time it takes before they could hear the powerful characteristic noise of the beam of light—It usualy lasts around five to ten seconds, but they felt long and boring before the surprise of the crackling noise would make them forget the boredom they suffered. One would be so curious and amazed by the beauty of the golden-white lights that they would try to touch it, but thankfully, it was usually very far from Derry, so there’s no sign of danger for now. The more time, the further the thunder was from the captivated faces of the kids, thus the safer they were… right?

Despite the almost alarming number of spectators that were enthusiastic about watching in anticipation for the next thunder, there were always a few kids that found no interest in seeing nature take its seemingly ruthless course, and Ebony was one of them. Instead of watching the event with glee, they just rested in their bed, holding their estranged teddy bear tightly to their chest. They slept as peacefully as a child ever could’ve done so—In fact, they were in such a deep slumber that not even the heavy rain woke them up, an incredible feat for such a light sleeper. They were breathing calmly and slowly, and appeared to be oh so relaxed. 

That is, until the next thunderbolt was louder than it had been throughout the entire night.

Ebony woke up in a flash, but didn’t appear surprised, but only slightly peeved. They rub their eyes with one hand, and took a deep breath before lazily kicking away their thick bed sheets. They jump out of the cozy furniture, immediately feeling the freezing temperature once stepping their bare foot onto the floor of their large room, and felt a chill run down their spine. Despite it all, they wanted to know what woke them up. Peeking their face out of their windowsill, being very careful not to disturb their still young and fragile succulents and aloe plants, Ebony watched attentively to see what could be the cause of their rather sudden way to wake up.

They looked and looked, and nothing dared show its face, since—Wait, there’s someone there…

A little boy in a yellow raincoat can be seen getting their round face into the sewer drain. They couldn’t be-- It’s Georgie, their best friend! Why is he out so late? How is Bill letting him? They are both very close in age, and it’s not fair they should sleep earlier than Georgie. Ebony’s not a grown up yet, but they should at least be allowed to stay up a little late so they could play with him! Just as Ebony was about to open their window to shout at Georgie to wait for them, they notice that there was something in the sewer drain, which made them go at a full stop.

With an attentive stare, Ebony could also determine that some sort of creature was inside it. Maybe it’s an animal? No, it looks too much like a person… Maybe a monster? Not likely. Whatever was in there has a human-like shaped face, and was thought to be light colored, but since it was very dark in the drain, they looked darker gray. They were also holding what Ebony assumed to be a paper-made boat with one of their silky white hands. They believed that Georgie might have just dropped his boat into the drain, but why would he want to take stuff from a stranger? Why is he peeking and talking to a creature? Or yet, why doesn’t he just walk away and make himself a new boat? Stranger danger, Georgie! Come on!

‘’What’s he doin’? Why’s he doin’ this?’’ Ebony whispered, unaware that the fellow kid and sewer monster couldn’t hear them.

Just as they are about to turn around to meet up with the boy to tell him that it’s not worth it to chat with a stranger for a paper boat, they remember their father is still awake, and that they are supposed to be in bed. There’s no way they could sneak trough without getting caught or punished… Begrudgingly, Ebony realises that there’s nothing they can do, and decide to just walk back to their bed before grabbing their teddy bear once more to sleep in the warm sheets. It took no time before the red-haired kid finally closed its eyes to get into the deep subconscious state once again.

Little did they know about what would happen to the sweet little Georgie… Ebony was completely unaware that their best friend would be the victim of the first try of the tasty, tasty, beautiful fear. 

It was just the beginning, after all.


	2. The Beginning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A month has passed since Georgie's passing. During that time, Ebony met the rest of the Losers, and the gang formed a tightly closed knit, taking the youngest member under ther wing. Not minding the foul language they would all use, Ebony stayed with them. Now, It is mentioned, and more mysteries are unraveled.

Morning. Yes, definitely the worst part of the entire day.

As it opened its eyes, a soft growl emerged from them. Even if the outside world had a nice, sugary grassy smell, the ridiculously harsh sunlight was making them force their eyes shut, and their head felt like it was throbbing just seconds later. If the monster were able to imagine what being hit by a car felt like, it would more than likely fit what the intense headache would be like—Powerful. Very, very powerful indeed. It was handicapping enough to make the creature go at a full stop, freezing and turning their face from the lights just because it was that unbearable. The red stripes that went from over their eyes to the extremities of the lips almost looked like exaggerated tears, and it began to show a frown.

Without the headache, the monster would be fine, and would constantly check out of the sewer drain in hopes of catching prey. This morning is going to be a rough one.

It remained still, waiting for the headache to pass. The pain was more than plentiful, making them wince whenever they heard or saw a sudden noise or light. This morning was very clear proof that it was making it go in what was assumed to be misery. Never had they gone trough so much discomfort for so long—After twenty-seven years of being in a dormant state, it expected to be stiff and uncomfortable for a bit, which is normal. What wasn’t, however, was that inability to move over the simple but overpowering pain.

After a few minutes, the issue seemed to begin to pass. It tested its limits by moving its head around with shut eyes—All looks well. Now with opened eyes… Yes, so far so good. The lazy eye was going in and out of orbit by command, which is to be expected. Slowly at first and then a bit faster, the creature began to pace around the insides of the sewer drain. The headache, at this point, was almost gone.

Now deciding that it is fit enough to hunt, it peeked their white face out of the sewer drain. Smiling to look appealing and friendly, they looked around, and seeing that there were no kids for now, they retreated back in. The darkness of the habitat was very different than the bright morning of Derry, and its face made it very clear. They preferred the darkness so much more than sunlight. It was easier on their eyes, and on their mood as well.

Suddenly, there was a noise. It sounded like a great occasion for the amazing taste of fear… 

It hurriedly came back, already starting to drool uncontrollably, and peeked out, hiding their mouth. It stood still for a very long time, anticipating some innocent prey to come to them… but nothing happened. The little human was just stupidly walking their pet, immediately fleeing upon seeing their face in the sewer drain. Obviously disappointed, it began to walk away yet again, and decided that maybe prey would be further down the sewer. It lazily dragged its feet away from its nest, and began to slowly creep around in hope of scaring their prey.

The hunt has now begun.  
\------------------------------------------------------------------

Ebony was sitting in the middle of their room, playing with their toys. Their dolls were homemade but crudely fashioned—They had a plump body and stick arms, as well as button eyes, hands and mouths. The hair was made out of threads of wool and silk to mimic thick human hair, and the stitching was barely noticeable, but still there. It was Ebony’s father that crafted the toys as a teenager, only to pass it down on his kid. The thought was nice to Ebony, who dearly loved their faher, and were very careful when they played with them.

They made the dolls kiss, fight and dance, completely forgetting about the chores they were supposed to do earlier. The small pile of dust and dirt was sitting solemnly beside the long white broom, a broom that was about twice Ebony’s size. They have a smaller broom, but insist on using the big one since it ‘’makes them feel like an adult’’—That term is used rather loosely, since their apparent fertile imagination was still high and in its prime. In fact, it was so important that the child’s father would get concerned about bullying, getting hurt, or worse, taken from him. 

Ebony, as innocent as they are, didn’t really seem to be too bothered about that, as they kept playing with their toys and talking to their imaginary friends. They were happy in their little world and their rather special circle of friends, and that was all that mattered to the elderly man. As long as the kid was accepted, it was all that mattered to him.

Suddenly, Ebony began to hear hurried voices outside. They go to their window and take a peek… It’s the Losers! And there seemed to be a new guy as well… A dark-skinned teenager. Curious to meet him, they walk out their room and go to the dryer and washer to pick up their dried thin coat. Quickly wearing it on, they begin rushing downstairs, and see their father watch the TV as he was about to fall asleep. Just to be sure if they are allowed to go, Ebony comes up to them silently and slowly, and tap him on the shoulder. Startled, the man reopens his eyes, and looked at their kid with a tender gaze as soon as they realize it’s just them.

‘’Dad…?’’ Ebony’s voice was soft and as sweet as candy. ‘’Can I go ‘n talk to m’ friends outside?’’

The father’s voice was so so gentle as he talked to his kid. ‘’Yes, y’ can go, m’darling, but don’t stay out too late, a’ight? You can stay as late ‘s the sun falls.’’

Ebony stretched their small arms to their father’s large belly. He picked them up, smiling tenderly, and hugged them tightly and with what felt like pure love.

‘’Thanks, dad,’’ Ebony chirped, ‘’I’ll make sure t’ not stay too late.’’

The elderly man’s grey eyes lit up with happiness, and let his kid go. He let them run to the door, and watched as they came out to meet up with their friends. He wasn’t worried about anything at the moment, but the one thing that came to his mind was why they were so attracted to these kids lately. 

Watching through the door, he smiled as he saw Ebony approach the gang, with them greeting them back with no hesitation—They looked very happy to see the younger kid… As long as Ebony made friends that acted well and accepted them, it was all that mattered. Slowly, and while starting to feel discomfort around the shoulder, he slunk back to his cozy old chair, placed his hands on his large belly, and fell to sleep rather quickly. He’d hopefully be able to get the pain away quickly, as it didn’t feel too bad for now. In seconds, he went from completely silent to snoring much like how a boar would do so. 

Meanwhile, Ebony walked up to the gang. Their favorite has always been Richie, the one that kept making sexual jokes. Even if it was adult stuff, the way he’d say it was always rather funny, and the innapropriate jokes always made Ebony feel like they were a bit more of an adult, or at the very least, more mature. Bill, the head of the group, was stuttering especially badly at the beginning of the past month, but it seemed to start to pass-- Thank god--, which was a good thing for the concerned Ebony. Beverly’s short hair looked as lovely as always, and she always had such a bold and accepting attitude that Ebony loved and adored. Ben has always more than a trick up his sleeve with his extended knowledge about history and coincidences… Ebony had always been fascinated by their smarts. 

They noticed that Eddie and Stanley weren’t around too, what happened to them? They walked towards the slightly taller Beverly, and asked.

‘’Hi ‘dere! Where’s Eddie and Stanl’y?’’ Ebony sounded rather confused.

‘’Oh, hey— Eddie is still recovering from his broken arm. Stanley decided to stay home for a bit,’’ Beverly claimed, ‘’Because he isn’t feeling too well.’’

‘’Huh. Probably embarrassed that my shlong is longer than his!’’ Richie’s joking tone sounded somewhat serious.

‘’That isn’t saying much.’’ Beverly’s comeback made the new guy snicker.

The gang giggles for a bit, before everything goes more silent. Ebony then speaks up again, but this time, towards the newcomer.

‘’So… What’s y’er name? I’m Eb’ny,’’ They greeted, ‘’Nice t’ meet ya!’’

Mike didn’t seem to know exactly what to do towards such a young kid being in the group, but introduced himself anyway.

‘’Well, mine’s Mike.’’ That was all he said, but one could pick up a weak smile.

The awkward greeting ended well! Ebony might’ve just made a new friend.

‘’Oh, n’ Bill,’’ Ebony kept going, ‘’Did y’ find Georgie?’’

Ebony saw Bill about to speak, but he shut his mouth instantly. Beverly looked at Ebony with a knowing gaze. The younger kid instantly began to feel bad.

‘’… M’ sorry, Bill, I was just…’’

‘’It’s alright, Ebony. Everything’s g…g-g-going to be alright.’’ His stuttering was what affected the kid the most. Usually, one would laugh at it, but it sounded uncontrolled and desperate.

To try to distract the gang a little bit, Ben whipped out his little book from his backpack, and smiled at Ebony. The little kid looked back at him, and is now more than curious. It was very easy to make Ebony shift their attention to something else, and Ben knew it. They didn’t want their little friend to be sad, after all.

‘’Guys, guys—I found some new things about… it.’’ Everyone immediately shifted their attention to the chubby teen. ‘’There are even more coinciding deaths right here, all within gaps of twenty-seven years.’’

‘’Twenty-seven?’’ Ebony repeated with amazement. They could never believe how smart Ben has always been.

‘’Yes, twenty-seven years. Kills ranged from tens to dozens, and even hundreds of people around our age and younger. They were all under eighteen, and were often guided to places like sewer drains, rivers, and lakes. Signs of it were always things like floating objects like balloons, or eerie feelings in places where you should be happy.’’ Ben flipped some pages, and showed the book towards the gang. ‘’As you can see right here…’’ He points on some pictures of the pages. ‘’It was always in dark corners or in places where it just couldn’t be, such as schools or in popular places like the White House.’’

Soon, the rest of the Losers began to talk to each other, overlapping the others’ sentences.

‘’Last time we saw It, they would turn in our deepest fear.’’

‘’Remember when Stanley got bit? Holy shit, that was terrifying!’’

‘’Damn, and I thought my nightmares were enough to make me wet my pants!’’

‘’Fuck’s sake!’’

Eventually, the overlapping voices became more coordinated, and were in hushed whispers.

‘’…I’m still so fucking afraid of clowns.’’

‘’Pretty sure Eddie is still a germaphobic.’’

‘’Georgie…’’

Finally, the whispers died down, and the teens laid eyes in a confused Ebony. They took a deep breath, and once it was their turn, began to speak up. They sounded very serious.

‘’M’ worst fear is bein’ left alone without havin’ anyone t’ love forever and ever…’’

Everyone looked somewhat surprised, even the joker, Richie. One would see a weak frown grow in his face, but it soon went away. To try to amp the mood, he spoke up as well.

‘’… Damn, Ebony… I was also going to say I’m afraid of the Kool-Aid man, but whatever.’’

Everyone giggled and snickered for a bit, even Mike and Bill. For once, Richie’s jokes were appropriate for their age, and it was also the first time in ages since he was funny. Ebony cracked a smile, and stifled a weak laugh before everything felt serious again.  
‘’Alright, so…’’ Beverly had a questioning look towards Ben, who was flipping his pages. ‘’ How do you think we could defeat It? How can we make it go away for good?’’  
Ben looked at her in the eyes for a moment, and began to think. Ebony watched him anxiously, waiting for a smart remark to come out his mouth.

''I'm gonna be honest here... I'm not too sure,'' he simply said, ''I have no idea-- Oh, wait!''

Ebony's eyes lit up, and cracked a grin as he told his idea to the Losers.

''Maybe It's like werewolves... We'd need a gun, and silver bullets,'' He said, ''or like vampires, in which we shove a stake on their heart.''

''Dude, does it even have a heart?'' Richie looked very skeptical. ''Between the both of us, It looked pretty much heartless last I saw them.''

''Well, It could have one!'' Beverly's remark was like an echo in Ebony's mind. ''How do you think It's alive? If we won't be able to kill It, we can at least push it away for another 27 years and make it starve.'' Bill looked approving of her suggestion.

While the gang was talking about their encounters, Bill also looked at little Ebony. They looked like they were in some sort of trance, or like they were really deep in thought. It was also very clear they had very little idea on what's going on-- All that talk about ''It'' and the thoughts of the atrocities it has done were still vague... but why?

The only thing they seem to know clearly is that some monster took Georgie away, as it is clear that they miss him just as much as Bill does. Bill watched them with an attentive gaze as Ebony kept listening to what the gang was speaking. 

It could have one. It could have one. It could have one.

\-----------------------

A few hours have passed since Ebony's arrival with the new member of the Losers. The more they took the time to listen to the teenagers and not dift away to their imagination, the more they would hear about the atrocities It would have supposedly done. 

Children were stolen from parties and easter parties only to be ripped apat and eaten-- Ebony never thought such a cruel action was even humanely possible. It wasn't just the teenagers, either... Children as young as 5 would get stolen and eaten away, never to be seen again by their worried and terrified families. It was like an entire horror movie being spoiled by each kid of the Losers' Club, with members telling each and every part of said movie by nodding and whispering to each other. Now, they had a much clearer idea of who It was... and it was nothing less than a bloodthirsty creature that lives on the fear of others.

Ebony, seeing the sun fall down, realized they were late. After bidding their friends goodbye for the next day, they began to walk away. After explaining that they promised their father that they couldn't stay too late, the Losers seem understanding, and let them go. The concrete floors were gently scrapped as the young kid walked awkwardly with boots that were just one bit too large. They hummed a little tune as they went on... 

There was a nice gentle breeze that would dance in their hair. It was soothing and somewhat cold, hinting that night would come pretty early. Ebony thought it felt very nice to feel the weak cold temperature brush onto their face, and also began to think about what the Losers have said during the sunlit day. What was the ''It'' thing they couldn't stop talking about? Was it some sort of underwater monster? Or a criminal? No, criminals don't live for hundreds of years. What if those stories were all just some sort of scare tactic, and nobody actually got killed? But then... Georgie has been taken by that It creature, so it has to be true. It has to. How else would Georgie suddenly disappear?  
The thought of his long-gone friend made Ebony quite upset. They shed a few tears, but quickly wiped them away, trying to keep their mind off of this by thinking of It. How does one actually see them? That's the question that needs answers. It can't just suddenly kill someone-- No, there has to be a way it is done.

Just as they were about to turn towards their home while they kept making all sorts of theories, they look at the sewer drain that is just in front of the large beige house. It was rectangular in shape and looked fairly large as well. It looked so dark in here, oh so dark. It just—...What would happen if you saw what was on the other side?  
Maybe darkness isn’t as scary as most people claim so. In fact, the dark felt quite nice. Ebony decided it was worth it to try it out, and approached the drain slowly on all fours before deciding to stick their head inside.  
They looked around in the darkness. Ebony’s eyes widened to try to see better and even stuck their head even deeper inside the drain to hope something was in here. All they saw was pitch black—Not a figure, no monster, nothing. Maybe Ben wasn’t exactly telling the truth about the monster attacking kids trough the sewer drain?

''Hello?'' They could hear their voice repeat itself inside the shadows. ''Is anyone ‘ere?''

No response. 

The deep shades of eldritch, brown and some sort of murky green were the only thing that popped up to the kid's face, but otherwise, nothing happened at all. Feeling a bit bummed out, Ebony decided to take a closer inspection to see if anything was living here at all. Leaning towards the darkness, they lurked their head in there, squinting to look around better. Everything they made that had a sound would let out a dying echo-- Even their breathing. It was the only thing that actually made Ebony wonder why they were suddenly starting to get nervous.

Despite their fear, curiosity was powerful, so they kept their head inside the drain, and they waited. Aaaand waited. The more they stood still, the more they felt like they should pull out, leave their things, and run away as fast as the possibly can. There was no strange sound, and nothing was moving... so why was Ebony feeling so scared?

''Huh.'' They tried to sound unimpressed, but their voice shook with fear.

Suddenly, something was slowly rising. With a careful look, Ebony could recognize a floating oval shape-- A balloon, perhaps? It had a thick of-white string firmly attached to it, and seemed still as it would rise, and then go in one direction. The sight made Ebony a bit more afraid, but it didn't quite freak them out just yet.

Finally, they backed away, catching their breath to try to calm down, after seeing the balloon. After all, it's not like anything is here, anyway, and it's too scary in here to keep going. Ebony walked away, and took a few steps away, looking back at the sewer drain before finally starting to look away.

''Well, hiya there, Ebony!'' 

Whatever decided to suddenly speak in the drain sounded high-pitched, like an adult talking down to a little kid. 

They turned back after hearing their name, and saw a pair of sweet light blue eyes. Unsure if they should approach the sketchy clown, they examined the smooth pale face for a bit, lightly squinting their eyes to show they weren't trusting.  
The clown was not really colourful, but didn't seem particularly strange to Ebony's eyes-- Their hair had a deep shade of rust under the sewer drain. Their enormous forehead made Ebony wonder how much brains there's in the creature's head, and their red lips, nose and cheetah-like lines went from over their eyes to the corners of their lips. Their childish demeanour gave them a strangely friendly aura. 

Stranger danger, Ebony... Stranger danger.

They watched with a doubtful glare as the clown began to stretch their long arms, revealing their darkened costume and their silky white gloves, and rested their head onto said crossed arms. They had a very lively gaze, and looked eager to meet the child. Since that... sketchy-looking clown looked a bit friendlier than initially, Ebony decided they should have a go, knowing that the drain is just in front of the house and that their father would save them if anything happened.  
They braced themselves as they took some steps closer to the clown. They didn't move, and looked even more happy to see them, showing a wider smile, and at the same time, their buck teeth. Ebony crouched, and looked at the stranger right in the eyes.

''Uh... Hello d'ere.'' Ebony did their best to sound calm, but sounded a bit awkward. ''Why did 'ya talk to me?''

''Surely because you were looking for something here... right?'' The response was almost instant, like it was scripted.

Ebony paused for a bit, and then replied. ''Yeah. I didn't... Uhh, I dinn't expect to see ya there.''

''You didn't seem quite happy to see me neither...'' The clown pushed up a bit more of a worried face.

''I- no... I shoul'n't even be talkin' to strangers like you,'' Ebony hushed, ''m' dad said so.''

The sewer clown raised their head, and looked intrigued... or were they? They raised their eyebrows-- Well, if they were to have eyebrows, they didn't have any-- and looked impressed at Ebony's knowledge.

''Very wise of you, Ebony, such a smart kid you are.'' The light blue eyes seemed to grow just a shade darker. ''Your dad must love you very much, doesn't he?''

''He does, r'lly. We are really close toge'her.'' Ebony was already starting to warm up to the clown, liking their enthusiasm.

''That's great, Ebony.'' Everything felt a bit eerie and silent shortly after.

To avoid the creepy silence from rising, the child spoke up. ''Also, Mr. Clown... I don' wanna sound rude, but what's y'er name?''

The creature then presented themself. ''I am Pennywise, the dancing clown! And you... are Ebony. Are we strangers, now?''

''Nah, not r'lly! Nice to meet ya, Pennywise!'' Ebony grinned, starting to appreciate their new friend. '' And how do ya know m' name?''

''I heard it, and knew it was you.'' Pennywise's gaze was stuck to Ebony's face.

''And... Uuh, its that's a'ight to ask, why are you in a sewer drain?''

''A storm blew me away...'' The clown played a weakly worried expression. ''It blew the whole circus away.''

''Are ya okay? Do I need to pull ya outta 'ere?'' Ebony was understandably worried for their new friend.

''Have you ever been in a circus, Ebony?'' The kid couldn't understand why Pennywise would dodge their question.

''Pennywise, will you be okay down there?'' They sounded more insistent, this time.

The clown looked a bit confused, like something went out of plan. Before Ebony could begin to doubt anything, it went back to locking its gaze with the child's, swallowed hard, and began to act humbled.

''I'm good, Ebony. I have my little circus right here. Speaking of circuses, wanna come in here?'' They looked interested in the kid once again. ''There's popcorn, cotton candy, hot dogs... You'll love it here.''

''Thank ya, Pennywise, but I can't go down 'ere. Dad wouldn't like me talkin' to someone like you, and sewers sound gross.'' Poor little Ebony sounded very polite.

''Oh, it's fine. If you change your mind, you can always join the circus!'' Pennywise stiffled a weak giggle afterwards.

''Really?!'' Ebony looked suprised. Joining a circus by itself?!

''Of course! I have a few ideas on what you could do... Oh, I know! You could be a ferocious animal trainer!''

''Oh, I dunno how to train animals. I ne'er had one.''

''Oh, really? Then I could teach you. It's quite easy!''

Ebony smiled at Pennywise, their eyes gleaming with interest. ''Thank you, Pennywise!''

They then looked back at their house, hearing their father walk in the garden to water his tree shoots and various wildflowers. He looked at the little kid, and gestured them to come towards him.

''Shoot, I gotta go, Pennywise-- I'll be back tomorrow morning, I promise!''

Pennywise simply nodded, grinning form what felt like ear to ear, and watched Ebony walk away. 

They are seen skipping, their boots thumping on the ground like a happy rabbit, and hummed as they approached their dad. It wasn't much of a long distance, so they could see their garden very quickly. The sweet, sweet bed of plants and tree sprouts looked so beautiful in the ending sunset...

''Yeh, dad?'' Ebony's eyes were still gleaming from joy.

''Eb'ny, sweetie... what were ya doin' in the sewer?'' He sounded quite worried.

Ebony froze, and instantly answered back. ''I made a new friend. He lives in the sewer drain.''

''Huh, is that so, sweetie? I'm glad you made a friend, but don't you think you two could talk in a nicer spot? Sewer drains aren't that clean, and can be dangerous.''

''Yeah. Sewers are gross.'' Ebony giggled innocently. ''I didn't want to see all o' the yucky slime and stinky stuff in 'ere!''

''Let's not forget 'bout aaall those bacterias, creeping for your... Pretty lil' face!'' The big bear suddenly grabbed his daughter by the shoulders, watching as they scream and then laugh heartedly. ''Now, now, Eb'ny, let's do y'er chores before ya go to sleep, a'ight?''

The pair went back in the house after tending briefly to their plants, and Ebony went back in their room, brushing the floors gently with the enormous broom. After throwing away all the dust in their trash can, they went downstairs to give their dad a kiss to say goodnight, and rushed back upstairs before falling back to sleep.

The elderly man looked happy for a bit, but as soon as he heard Ebony rush upstairs, his look was filled with worry. Deep down, he was ridiculously concerned about the idea of his daughter going in the sewers, and possibly go back while deathly ill. The thought of taking care of his child reminded him of his... his deceased wife. That amazing woman whom he cherished for life.

He lazily grabbed a rectangular frame, and looked at it for a long moment. In the picture that was in there, Ebony, as a little baby, was cradled in the old woman's arms, and she was kissing her husband. Everything looked so joyful, so innocent, and the trio looked very happy together... Only for her to be vanished a month later from a type of cancer. Tears welled up his eyes as he smiled at the framed picture, reminding himself of all those amazing things that he did with his wife, the main one being the adoption of Ebony. Yes, they were taken in their arms, and not by blood, but by love.

Blood might be thicker than water, but paper ink was just as valuable. It was the same ink the old couple used when they finally signed the adoption papers.


	3. A Whirlpool of Emotions

Holding true to their promise, Ebony wanted to come to the drain to talk to their new and nicest friend, Pennywise the Dancing Clown.

The only way Ebony would know if Pennywise was available for their now daily chats was by the presence of a tiny deep red balloon covering part of the entrance of the sewer drain. At first unsure, and then excited, Ebony understood that Pennywise would be thek ind of clown to carry red balloons, they made sure their dad was gone, which he now was because he was working for today, and they went towards the sewer drain to greet them.

This time, Pennywise looked happy, but in a different way. Their gleaming eyes were shining with a strange delight—It looked so much more powerful than simple curiosity, it looked a bit more like a big need for knowledge or interest. Of course, that would make Ebony so much happier, knowing that someone seemed to appreciate them so much despite barely knowing each other. 

However, despite their growing attachment to the clown, little Ebony felt like they couldn’t tell anyone. If the Losers were to know, they would probably guess that Pennywise could be that It creature they keep talking about, and would try to harm them. On the other side, their father maybe wouldn’t mind as much, since he’s not really all that vengeful or protective, but would definitely keep the kid away from the sewer drain for a long while, and they would have to constantly lie. Planning their moves much like a gambler would, Ebony did their best to play their cards right.

They would only see Pennywise once their father is away and working, and while the Losers aren’t around. That’s basically most of the time, which means Ebony has plenty of time to talk to their new friend and hang out with them. They would always keep their guard up, even if there was literally no apparent harm whatsoever, just to be safe. That’s how Ebony could tell if the Losers were coming from very far away, hearing the very familiar sound of bikes and the use of mature language. By swiftly warning Pennywise, they also benefit the clown from ever getting attacked, or worse, beaten to a pulp, and they hurriedly slink to the darkness of the sewer until it’s safe to come out again. As soon as the Losers are gone, Pennywise would pop back to the drain, and would graciously thank Ebony, looking pretty grateful of their help and support.

As they stayed beside each other for most of the day and talk about various things in their lives and interests, with Ebony only leaving to eat or hang out with their father and the Losers, Pennywise was apparently very patient, since as soon as Ebony comes back and calls for them, they spring back from a corner of the sewer, and their eyes already start to shine with excitement. Their blue eyes would glow with interest as soon as they saw the round face and the fluffed ebony colored hair, and the clown was quite captivated by the unique sense of fashion Ebony would sport, as most humans they see are distinctively masculine or feminine—Ebony was sort of... Neither. It looked pretty neutral, which Pennywise hasn’t seen too often, apparently.

The hours stretched to days, and as Ebony knew more and more about Pennywise, thanks to the Losers, they began to learn about the clown’s various information, such as their likes and dislikes, their pros and cons, their exact height, and even their diet—It was meat. Well, mostly meat. Pennywise had an attire for things like popcorn and cotton candy. Following that logic, thanks to the spare change they stashed in their piggy bank to much later, they would buy sweets like wrapped caramels and teacup-sized cupcakes, and eventually began to buy small amounts of meat that can be eaten without cooking it yourself, such as pre-packaged ham... All for Pennywise, and just for Pennywise. And all without being caught by the other pre-teens and their father. Life is good.

Strangely enough, since Ebony began to offer Pennywise those various goods, the look he’d give them changed. Instead of looking more enticed, they appeared more relaxed, and would look more genuinely happy to see them, instead of being a living spring of excitement. They also sounded less like an adult talking down to a baby, and actually started to sound more like a child themselves. Could it be that Pennywise started to pick up on their comrade’s habits? 

At first, Ebony didn’t quite notice the change, and when they did, they said nothing about it, to avoid upsetting their friend. It’s not like they were minding it anyway, since Pennywise was glad to meet them since the beginning... 

Right?

\---

Two weeks have passed since the child and the clown have formed a friendship. Checking once again to make sure their father is gone, which he thankfully was, Ebony then looks at the sewer drain... This time, strangely, there was no sign of it. It would usually calmly fly in the corner of the entrance, but it’s disappeared. Maybe Pennywise— Or Penny, as the human would affectionately nickname them, forgot to put it up to tell Ebony they can come to talk? At least, that’s what the kid believed. Habits are hard to break, yes, but everyone can forget about them from time to time, after all.

Since no one was around, they silently walk towards the drain, and slink their face towards the entrance. Gradually starting to get worried, they looked around to see if there was any signs of the clown.

‘’P’nny?’’ They called, ‘’Are ya d’ere?’’

No response.

Now a bit more concerned, Ebony dug their face deeper in the sewers, ignoring the familiar cotton candy scent, and squinted their eyes to try to see better.  
‘’Lookit what we have here, guys! It’s the little dumbass brat with the weird accent!’’

Ebony whipped their face away, and looked with wide eyes. Oh no, it was them...

Henry and his henchmen.

Those bastards.

Part of Ebony wanted to run away, but the other refused to be a coward, so they just stood up and glared at the older teens.

‘’What do ya want from me, cucks?!’’ They didn’t hesitate to fling some insults blindly, without necessarly knowing that they mean.

The tall blonde teen creeped towards the child, and just grinned as he showed them a knife, which made Ebony glare harder, and then their little teddy bear, which made them change their angered stare into a more horrified one. The other kids just calmly watched from afar.

‘’The stitching’s a little stupid, don’t you think? I’ll cut it up for you.’’ Henry mocked a soft and forgiving tone.

‘’Ye bast’rd, give it back!!’’ 

The members of the audience snorted and giggled at Ebony’s attempts to sound brave, and the fat one, Belch, mocked it, and made his buddy laugh pretty hard.

‘’Huuuuh, gimme my toy, ye mad cuck,’’ he mimicked, ‘’Or I’ll be meeeeed!’’

‘’Dude, stop it, I’m dying!!’’ The leaner one, Patrick, was wheezing quite hard and was clutching his sides.

Henry looked very unimpressed at Ebony’s frustration, and in fact, pulled the toy closer to the knife. His glare was quite dark, and would make an adult think twice before deciding to punish him.

Ebony, on the other hand, had enough. They slammed a hard fist onto his crotch, making him gasp and drop the toy. Ebony then tries to keep the toy in their small arms and began to run away towards their home, but Patrick and Belch catch up with them very quickly. While Henry keeps his ground low from recoil and pain, the henchmen start to pull Ebony away from their toy, but the child kept a very firm grip on it. Belch is grossly giggling like a madman, while Patrick is digging his fingers deep in the plush to try to pry it out of Ebony’s fingers. 

Suddenly, Belch is heard screeching in pain, letting go of Ebony, and alarmed, Patrick lets go of the toy as well. 

‘’Some fucker threw a rock at me!!’’ Belch sounded very ticked off, but as soon as he turned around, he fleed as fast as he ever had.

was Richie, the savior!

Patrick hesitates before deciding to follow Belch in cowering away, but Henry stubbornly stays n his spot and was about to scream at Richie to go away, only to get a sharp stone right on his face. He freezes from the impact, blinded by his quickly seeping blood, and more stones and sharp rocks are thrown at him before he finally decides to retreat as he growls and snarls in pain. As he runs away, a storm of quickly-thought insults are flung to him.

‘’Go fuck with another kid’s business!’’

‘’Your mom should’ve swallowed you, bitch!’’

‘’That’s right, run, you fucking coward! Ruuuuuun!’’

‘’Wash that blood off with your daddy’s piss, son of a bitch, and don’t forget to wipe those tears in your own shit!’’

‘’Go blow your dad, you mullet-wearing asshole!’’ Richie, after screaming that, is seen flinging the middle finger towards Henry’s direction.

Bewildered, Ebony curls themselves in a corner, and hold their thankfully intact teddy bear in their arms as tightly as they could. The teens approach them, but keep their distance to avoid making them too uncomfortable.

‘’Thank you so much, guys, thank ya thank ya thank ya...’’ Ebony sounded like they were about to cry, but kept their chin up, knowing they are safe.

‘’Nah, it’s nothing,’’ Beverly tells them, ‘’you didn’t deserve it.’’

‘’Dude, are you alright? You don’t look too good.’’ Richie looked quite concerned. 

‘’ I’m a’ight, Richie, Im gonn’ be fine.’’ Ebony sounded like they were already started to calm down a lot more.

After letting Ebony catch their breath and settle down, Mark approaches them as the rest of the Losers begin to whisper things to each other.

‘’Doing good?’’

‘’Yeah, I’m good.’’ Ebony sighed in relief.

‘’Okay, good. We were actually looking for you, ‘cause we were wondering if you had anything new about It.’’ Those words made Ebony freeze instantly.

As the gang looks at them, Ebony swiftly comes up with an excuse. ‘’ I’ve seen no signs o’ that It thing y’all keep talkin’ ‘bout.’’

Mark didn’t seem completely convinced, lightly tilting his head in confusion, and the other kids look equally as intrigued.

‘’So you know absolutely nothing of It?’’ Bill sounded very intrigued. ‘’We’ve been talking about It for over a month, yet you knew nothing of it?’’

‘’Nah, I didn’t. Not in a long while. It soun’ed like some story you guys came up with. M’not sure if they’re e’en interested in us anymore.’’ Ebony sounded more confident, this time. ‘’Di’n’t you guys scare ‘em off anyway?’’

‘’I don’t know, Ebony. We saw It, but we didn’t quite scare them off—And what do you mean by ‘in a while’? You saw It, right?’’ Beverly looked as patient as ever.

‘’Two weeks ago, ye’h. It looked like a big spider. It had long legs and a fat body.’’ Ebony’s lie sounded convincing to Bill, who instantly became less suspicious. ‘’Sorry, I forgot to mention t’at.’’

‘’Nah, nah, it’s fine. We’re cool with that.’’ Richie looked just as understanding.

Beverly looked okay with the excuse as well, but Mark remained a little defiant. Even if he settled down a little, he remained a bit stiff, and kept an eye on Ebony.

‘’At what hour are we gonna go in that rotten lair... Crackhead house... whatever ya wanna call it?’’ Eddie looked at Richie right in the eyes.

‘’ I was thinking maybe after 5?’’ Eddie nods at Richie’s suggestion.

The gang have agreed on the hour to go inside the ‘rotten lair’, guiding themselves on Bill’s approval, which he gave. The kids parted ways after saying their goodbyes to Ebony, and are seen riding their bikes away. The only one that turned his back was Mike... and he really didn’t give a friendly stare, which made Ebony very uncomfortable.

\---

Ebony has stayed in that same spot for over two hours, entertaining themselves by picking flowers and muttering some lullabies and kid-friendly songs their father would sing to them. Mary Had a Lamb was their favourite, closely followed by London Bridge is Falling Down, so those were the most popular when it came down to Ebony singing. Ring Round the Rosie was also a common pick. Just as they were about to sing Brother John, they saw a familiar shape inside the sewer drain—Pennywise!

Ebony comes towards them, but instead of cheerfully greeting them and lean their face closer to them, the clown flinched, clenching their eyes and turning their face away from the kid’s, which surprised them. They also... whimpered? Yes, it was definetely a whimper. It sounded weak but also somehow strained and painful, like an injured puppy with a lower voice. There was also some black ooze coming out of their forehead, which Ebony immediately noticed.

‘’Penny, what’s wrong...?’’ Ebony’s voice was very soft to try to appease their friend, or to at least distract them from the pain.

Pennywise didn’t answer. They remained frozen in place, and were actually starting to tremble, their bells jingling with a desperate chime. The black sticky liquid was just slowly dripping down, but something that resembled tears were floating up from the corners of the clown’s eyes. It tried hard to fake a grin, but ended up wincing in pain.

‘’Penny, I know you’re hurt... Is d’ere anythin’ I can do?’’ Poor little Ebony was very scared.

The clown finally hesitantly started to look at Ebony, with with a more fearful look. The tears gradually stopped, floating away with what looked like misery, and looked like he was trying hard to keep his composure. Ebony showed their hand slowly to show they mean no harm, which seems to start convincing them there’s no danger so far. Pennywise approached their trembling massive hand, and covered the smaller human hand with thers. Their grip was very soft, like they only had enough effort to just touch it. The two lock eyes for a moment—One was comforting, and the other was gradually coming back to its senses.

‘’Eb’nyyy, come ‘ere!!’’ In the moment, Ebony’s dad was calling them in.

Ebony couldn’t even tell Pennywise goodbye as they knew they had to come, and they had to come now. They look at the clown with a saddened gaze, and it just looks back at them with clear fear, which was breaking the kid’s heart. They watch as Pennywise slinks back in the sewer.

Once back to their father, they could tell he was getting serious.

‘’Eb’ny, I keep seein’ ya towards t’at sewer drain. Ya know it’s dangerous, so why do ya keep comin’ back?’’ No, he really didn’t sound mad, but Ebony was very unsettled nonetheless.

‘’Dad, its ‘cuz my friend can’t go anywhere away from t’e sewers.’’ They sounded soft and had a higher voice.

The parent shook his head, and sighed. He hated to do this, but he had to, if it was to keep Ebony from harm.

‘’Look, sweetie. Ya know ya ain’t supposed to go d’ere. Despite me tellin’ ya not to go d’ere, you still go d’ere. I’m gon’ have to tell ya to stay in your room for tonight, and yer no longer allowed to come out without my permiss’on.’’ He still didn’t sound angered, but he was firm in his words.

Ebony sadly nodded, but didn’t say a word. They understood thir father was starting to get very worried, and they couldn’t deny it. 

‘’Stranger danger, Eb’ny... stranger danger. Y’er a smart kid.’’

The two walk back in the house, and Ebony gives their dad a gentle warm hug, which he accepts and gives back.

‘’Sorry, daddy.’’

‘’Lova ya, sweetie. I don’t want ya to get hurt.’’ His whisper was weak enough to make one assume he was about to cry, but he was perfectly calm.

Ebony then goes upstairs, jumping up to their bed to think about how their day went. They got attacked by the trio of bullies, the Losers are now suspicious of them, especially mark... Pennywise is injured and clearly needs some comfort, which Ebony can’t give for now, and their dad gave them a punishment. Today really isn’t a good day.

However, an idea popped in. Ebony rememberd that yesterday, they bought some stuff to share with Pennywise, and it’s cleverly hidden in a drawer under their bed, Knowing their father doesn’t snoop in their stuff, it can’t be just thrown away. They pull the drawer... It’s still there, and the meat is still nice and red. The cupcakes were in the second drawer of the bed, neatly stashed with other sweets like hard caramel and fruit-flavored suckers.

They’ll just need to wait.

\---

In the late afternoon, the elderly man is heard snoring loudly. Ebony silently sneaked out of their room, being very careful not to wake their father up. They managed to sneak some of the sweets in their pockets, and the meat is hidden under their coat—It blended well with the kid’s overall body posture, so it couldn’t be spotted right away. As soon as they opened the door to walk out of their house, they were glad to see the red balloon in the sewer drain. Silently closing the door behind them, Ebony walked out as silently as possible, and saw that Pennywise was already there, peeking their face out of the drain towards Ebony.

‘’Penny... We can’t be too loud, a’ight? I’m not supposed t’ be here.’’ Pennywise looked bummed out, but they complied with a nod. 

Ebony then slides out their candy, and took the raw meat and gave it to the clown. It gently grabbed the red juicy flesh, and the two began to eat quietly, the clown chewing very slowly instead of wolfing it down like it usually would do. Ebony made sure to only bring soft candies and suckers to avoid making too much noise, as they like to crunch the hard candy, and Pennywise is quite silent when they chew, so the two are okay for now. Neither of them strike a conversation. They just eat in silence. It still felt comforting, though.

Eventually, Ebony is done eating some of their candy, and they begin to talk to Pennywise. 

‘’You di’n’t seem that good earler t’day, are you a’ight now?’’ The clown just nodded, still chewing their food.

The silence was just getting too deep, and not just for Ebony, but it seemed to be the case for Pennywise as well. After they were finally done eating their meat, they look at Ebony right in the eyes with a piecing gaze.

‘’I got hurt from the self-proclaimed Losers’ Club today. That’s why I wasn’t doing too good.’’ Their answer was fair and simple.

‘’Wait, they did that?’’ Ebony’s stupor annoyed the clown quite a bit.

‘’You didn’t tell me. Why didn’t you tell me?’’ All the kid could see in those blue eyes was betrayal, and they were slowly shifting into more of a golden color.

‘’Penny, I was bein’ suspicious already—And b’fore ya talk, lemme explain.’’ Ebony said so just in time, as Pennywise was about to snap a reply. The clown keeps their mouth shut and listen to the kid, somewhat surprised that they were not scared of it at all.

‘Y’see, I had t’ lie that I didn’t see ya in a long while, and since Mike is pr’tty suspicious o’ me, the rest of the gang will be soon, so I just couldn’t tell ya ‘cause they’d all hate me. Dad told me t’ stay away from ‘he sewers too, so that’s why we go’ta be quiet, ya ‘now? And I di’n’t know they were lookin for ya, Penny. I r’lly didn’t.’’

It seemed to make the clown simmer down a notch. Instead of having a narrowed glare, Pennywise’s gaze looked more and more understanding as Ebony kept talking.

‘’... Makes sense.’’ They sounded rather reluctant, but were no longer ticked off. ‘’You can find me in the largest house of this city, if you ever need me and I’m not here.’’

‘’A’ight, I’ll keep that ‘n mind. Thanks for understandin’, Penny.’’

‘’It’s nothing, really. You helped me a lot, so I might as well return the favour, right?’’

‘’I knew it, Beverly, I knew it!’’

Pennywise immediately retreated in the sewer, and Ebony turned around in surprise. They were horrified to see a frustrated Mark and Beverly quickly pacing towards them, along with the rest of the Losers...


	4. Shattered

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a bit more on the short side, so I understand if you guys are disapointed (Trust me, I am myself becuase there's so much potential in that chapter and I just messed it up). That's why I released it alongside chapter 3-- You guys get to have a big chapter with some extra bits. Have fun reading! :D

’What the hell were you thinking?!’’ Mark’s exclamation made Ebony freeze and they shushed him hesitantly to tell them not to make too much noise. He reluctantly complied.

Richie and Mark were the most stupefied, but the rest of the Losers were trying to either ignore the idea or were simply too shocked to say anything. 

‘’Guys, guys... look, ‘m sorry, I r’lly am,’’ Ebony frantically apologized, ‘’but there’s no way It’s that cruel! It’s a friend, a very nice clown!’’

‘’Well, that ‘very nice clown’ has killed Bill’s brother, and who knows what it could’ve done to you. It feeds of fear, it killed thousands of poor kids and babies, and you know it, yet you still chose to risk your life to try to be friends with them?!’’ Mark just couldn’t believe what Ebony was saying, and he made it very clear.

Now, Ebony just couldn’t even get to say anything. They looked at Mark with desperate eyes, as if wishing they have never heard those words. When they finally started to speak, Mark narrowed his gaze.

‘’I... no! That can’t be true— Pennywise did nothin’ to me. If y’all got attack’d, it’s ‘cause ya did something to piss him off!’’ It was clear that Ebony felt completely shattered.  
‘’Oh, like breathing?’’

‘’No, like ‘n attack.’’

‘’Fucking hell, they’re so stubborn...’’ Mark pinched his nose and shook his head in disgust. ‘’That’s not how it works, Ebony. We are their prey, and their goal is to kill us after terrorizing us.’’

‘’Penny...’’

Now, Ebony was truly at a loss of words. They looked like they were about to cry, and for good reason. Now, Beverly, seeming to have empathy despite karma biting Ebony, began to step up, and leaned herself to the kid’s level.

‘’Look, don’t cry... I know it’s hard to believe, but Pennywise isn’t a nice clown. They hurt a lot of people. Were the two of you close?’’ Beverly had a very good way at comforting others, which Ebony felt, so they ended up nodding as a response, waiting for the teen to keep going. ‘’So you were practically best friends. It’s really upsetting, and it must hurt you so much, but you can’t keep going like this. You’ll die if you keep visiting It.’’

‘’But... but Penny’s been nice to me, and never did anything scary, and...’’ Ebony was pretty much about to break down completely, but Beverly held them in their arms, looking at Mark with a firm look. 

Maybe he shouldn’t have been so harsh on Ebony—They are still very young and it’s very well known that Ebony gets attached to people they consider their friends very easily, and will rarely ever let go of them. On the other hand, they have been talking with a murderous entity for god knows how long.

‘’You know what... we’ll give you a deal. If Pennywise is as friendly as you say, will you be so kind to show it to us?’’ Beverly looked at Ebony and gave them a warm smile. ‘’We aren’t on good terms with them, but if you two are really that close...’’

Ebony swallowed hard, and agreed with a nod. Ben, Eddie and Richie were looking at Beverly like she was absolutely crazy.

‘’Bev, what the hell?’’ Ben’s voice said it all—Shock and stupor. And tons of it.

The girl went back to the rest of the Losers, and gave the boys a knowing look. Ben ended up trusting her, but was still a bit unsure. After all, they had just faced an encounter with a murderous clown.

Meanwhile, Ebony looked in their pocket, finding a few more pieces of candy. They held a tight grip to them, and approached the sewer drain. The Losers watched tensely, with Beverly keeping a very fair distance from the kid.

‘’Penny, it’s a’ight... You can come out. They won’t hurt ya.’’ Ebony’s voice was a little determined.

A hesitant few moments come before the clown’s face pops up. He looked very unsure, as if afraid of what was behind the kid.

‘’Penny, lookit me... They won’t do anythin’ to ya. Y’er safe.’’

Finally, it started to calm down. Ebony slowly opened their palm to give the entity the sweets, which they take very gently. Pennywise is then seen scampering away deeper in the sewers. Proud of themselves, Ebony dried their last few tears, and smiled towards the Losers.

‘’See? They ain’t that bad! They harm’d nobody.’’

‘’Because we’re here, It didn’t dare move a muscle. Remember what Mark said? It could kill you.’’ Bill sounded strangely mature.

‘’It can’t. Penny would ne’er lay a hand on me, ‘cause we’re close.’’

Beverly simply nodded, and grabbed her bike, ready to ride her way home. The boys were still pretty unsure, but trusting the girl, they end up joining her. The gang then, after hesitantly telling their goodbyes to Ebony, bike away from their house.

To try to clear their mind a little bit, Ebony then decided to take a walk. Yes, they aren’t supposed to be out, but they seriously need a breather. It was tons of stress today, and they want to find a way out of it quick.

The sun was just about to set downwards, but the city looked as lively as it always did. The grass was lush and in a bright shade of green, the grey sidewalks were stained with a light orange, and the townspeople would just go on in their daily routine, walking and driving their way to work or at home, perhaps. A stray dog or two would walk in the roads, but there was one in particular that Ebony liked. They both play for a little while before the animal would walk away.

And just as they think of the stray, it comes towards the kid. The dog was a sweet mutt, and was small in size and was a soft snowy white with patches that were grey and black. It was blind in one of its two brown eyes, but that didn’t make it stop it in the slightest.

‘’Spot!!’’ Ebony was so happy to see their long gone friend.

The dog wagged its tail excitedly, and jumped in the kid’s arms, trying to lick it everywhile while whimpering and shaking. It was literally so happy that it was about to go weak. Ebony gave it vigorious rubs on the soft thick pelt, and gently dropped the animal on the ground.

‘’W’ere’s the ball, Spot? W’ere is it?’’ 

The small dog ran away, and came back shortly after with a partly eaten tennis ball. It sat right in front of it, and looked at Ebony with a attentive gaze. Anything that had the slightest shape of a circle was a ball in his eyes, even something like a rock or a piece of wood.

‘’Are ya ready?’’ Ebony was just so happy...à

And off it goes! The ball glided in the air as the dog raced towards it...

\---

For one hour they have played together, and for one hour Ebony felt much better. Finally, Spot went out his way, leaving the ball for Ebony to carry away. Once it finally walked away, Spot looked pretty content with themselves. Ebony, on the other hand, even if they were so glad they got to spend time with their favourite animal, were still so upset about what the Losers have made them do. Deciding it’s time to go home, Ebony finally walked away themselves.

It was almost night time, but one would still see quite a bit of light. The nights in Derry were ld-fashionned and rather great in appearance. The city’s lit windows looked like fireflies that went at a full stop, and the light wind rustled the leaves on the trees and the now fresh-cut grass. Everything felt so much more peaceful, so calm and serene... Ebony almost forgot about their worries as they admired the views yet once again, never getting tired of just how pretty the background would look like.

However, there was one thing that would disturb the beauty—The screeches of an ambulance. It was piercing and was hard enough to make Ebony’s ears ring once it got too close... In fact, it sat right in front of their house.

Something happened.


End file.
